In recent years, awareness concerning environmental issues has increased, and the appearance of a detergent which is low in a load against the environment is being desired eagerly. It is thought that a detergent of a so-called concentrated type having a higher detergent component concentration than conventional detergents is very effective for decreasing the size of a detergent itself and reducing a load against the environment, for example, a reduction of the amount of a container resin, a reduction of the cost of transportation, a reduction of wastes after the use, etc.
JP-A 2008-7705,JP-A 2008-7706 and JP-A 2008-7707 disclose liquid detergent compositions of a concentrated type having a specified nonionic surfactant blended therein.
JP-A 8-157867 discloses a liquid detergent composition of a concentrated type in which a nonionic surfactant having ethylene oxide (EO) and propylene oxide (PO) added to a higher alcohol and a specified solvent are blended. In the specification and working examples thereof, a nonionic surfactant of an EO/PO block type obtained by adding EO and then adding PO is disclosed as a preferred nonionic surfactant.
WO-A 1998-024864 discloses a surfactant composition, having a high concentration, being excellent in handling, containing a nonionic surfactant (hereinafter, referred to as R-EPE nonion) in which ethylene oxide (EO), propylene oxide (PO) and further ethylene oxide (EO) are added in block in this order to a higher alcohol, and a liquid detergent composition containing the surfactant.
WO-A 1998-024865 discloses a surfactant composition, having a high concentration, being excellent in handling, containing the R-EPE nonion in which ethylene oxide (EO), propylene oxide (PO) and further ethylene oxide (EO) are added in block in this order to a higher alcohol and an anionic surfactant at a ratio of 99/1 to 10/90, and a liquid detergent composition containing the surfactant.
JP-A 10-195499 discloses a detergent for clothes, containing 10 to 50% by mass of the R-EPE nonion, being excellent in stability.
JP-A 11-310800 and JP-A 11-315299 disclose a liquid detergent containing the R-EPE nonion, an anionic surfactant and other components.